Its Time To Be FIT. Let's Go... !

Let it be any age, we are always in a worry as to how to lose weight, or if not lose weight then how to maintain oneself. There are many important aspects to be considered when it comes to remaining fit and healthy.So here are four main steps to be followed for staying healthy:

DRINK LOTS OF WATER: 

Water has endless benefits. Think of water as a nutrient that your body needs that is present in liquids, plain water, and foods. All of these are essential daily to replace the large amounts of water lost each day. It helps maintain the balance of body fluids. It can help control calories and it prevents dehydration. It makes your hair look shinier and your skin looks younger! You stay slim and it makes you healthy.

The significant reasons to drink water:

• Helps to lose weight.

• Healthy skin.

• Fights infection.

• Get rid of body's toxin.

• Prevents joint pains and arthritis.

• Improves productivity.

• Reduces the risk of cancer.

• Makes heart healthy.

• Boosts energy.

• Prevents constipation.

• Improves nerve transmission.

• Assists digestion.

• Busters fatigue.

• Maintains blood pressure & increases metabolism rate.

• Helps carry nutrients and oxygen to cells.

• Converts food to energy.

Now no more need of diet pills and cleansers. Drinking water is a greatest remedy for losing weight-says a recent research. Drinking more water is a low-risk way to lose excess weight, especially if it takes the place of other liquid calories. It is one of the safest things to help people lose weight. Water is essential to your weight loss for many reasons. Body functions require water to ensure they work properly. Thus, when these systems operate properly, it can aid in your weight loss. Also, if one doesn't get sufficient water, he/she might suffer from constipation. Water assists excretion of waste from your bowels and kidneys. Instead of reaching for the coffee cup first, start your day off with a tall glass of water. Before and after every exercise, drink a glass of water. End your day with a glass of water. Drink a last glass of water before going for good night's sleep. So now, drink more water & lose more weight.

HAVE A BALANCED DIET:

To sustain a healthy body, take a balanced diet of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Eat bright and dark green lettuce. Kale, mustard greens, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage. These are a few of the options-all containing calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K. A balanced diet is one that gives your body all the nutrients it needs to function properly. You should obtain the majority of your daily calories from vegetables, fresh fruits, lean proteins and whole grains, in order to get truly balanced nutrition.

WHY IS A BALANCED DIET IMPORTANT?

 A balanced diet is important because- to work effectively, a body's tissues and organs need proper nutrition. A body is more prone to disease, fatigue, infection and poor performance, without good nutrition. There is a risk of growth & development if children have a poor diet. The effects of poor diet and lack of exercise are the rising levels of obesity and diabetes. There is a report which states that four of the top 10 leading causes of death in the world are directly influenced by diet.

These are as follows: 

• heart disease
• diabetes
• stroke
• cancer

WAYS TO ACHIEVE BALANCED DIET:

Essential parts of balanced diet are as follows:

• Vegetables: Eat more and more vegetables as they are primary sources of essential vitamins and minerals. The most nutrients are usually contained by dark-leafy greens and can be eaten at every meal. For Example- One should have spinach, kale, broccoli, collard greens and green beans.

• Proteins: The primary sources of proteins are meat and beans which are quite important for proper brain and muscle development. Chicken, meat, cuts of beef etc. are lean and low in fats which provide protein. The excellent sources of proteins are lentils, peas, sunflower seeds, walnuts and soy-based products.

• Grains: The hull of the grain i.e. its outer shell should not be removed, rather it should be consumed as it contains lots of grain nutrients. Whole grains, which are prepared using the entire grain, including the hull, provide much more nutrition.

• Oils:Oils like-olive oil, is a good alternative to fattier vegetable oil. One should avoid foods that are deep fried in large quantities of oil because they contain high amounts of empty calories.

AVOID UNHEALTHY STUFF: 

Good sources of healthy fats are needed to nourish your nails, cells, and heart, as well as your hair, skin, and brain. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, help prevent dementia and improve your mood. Saturated and Trans fats should be eliminated from your diet.

Here is a list of foods that should be avoided: 

• Trans Fats food
• Fast food
• Packaged cookies and salty snacks
• Frozen meals
• Pancakes
• Microwave popcorn
• Colas and Sodas
• Ketchup
• Cheese
• Lunch fatty meats and pizza
• Ice cream and doughnuts
• Whipped cream and artificial sweeteners
• Pasta dishes

It isn't that these food items should never be consumed, but it is just that avoiding it aids being healthy. Also for losing weight meals should not be skipped. Sugar sweetened beverages and gluten grains should be avoided. The foods that contain preservatives and are highly processed should be kept off for those who are trying to lose their weight.

INCLUDE FRUITS AND NUTS: 

Fruits are tasty. It is a satisfying way to fill up on antioxidants, vitamins, and fibre. Apples provide fibre, Berries are cancer-fighting, oranges and mangoes offer vitamin C. Nuts are crunchy - buttery and are rich in energy. It makes you stay fit. Nuts nutrition provides many vital B-complex groups of vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, and foliates. These vitamins are essential for optimum health and well-being.

IMPORTANCE OF NUTS: 

Nuts are good for health. For years, dieters have shunned nuts because of their high fat content, but now it is a healthy food. These are the best quality calories because they are high in mono unsaturated fat. Nuts satisfy hunger and this is considered as a great choice for snacking. Instead of potato chips or other stuff, one should consume nuts, because a research shows that you won't gain weight eating the nuts. But having potato chips can cause disease. Similar improvement in cholesterol profiles was found for the same. Similar studies with almonds and walnuts have shown the same results. Apricots, peaches, plums, blueberries, cashews should also be eaten as a savoury snack.One important study shows that nuts reduced the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Adding walnuts resulted in an additional 4% decrease in total cholesterol. Research stated a 10% drop in cholesterol as a result of consumption of 3 ounces of almonds per day for 9 weeks. Several studies have found that eating small amounts of nuts helps dieters lose weight.

IMPORTANCE OF FRUITS: 

Fruits are important sources of carbohydrates and vitamins like sugar and fibre. They are naturally sweet and low in calories. Fruits and their juices are good sources of water, too. Different vitamins are contained by different fruits, so it is essential to eat a variety of fruits. "An apple a day, keeps the doctor away'', still stands true. It is not only for apple, but also for all other fresh fruits. Higher the number of apples consumed, lowers the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, diabetes, and asthma. Researchers feel that it is the high antioxidant content in apples that make a difference in their studies. Almost all the fruits have fibre, thus it can be eaten as a sweet snack. One should stock their fridge with sweet, fresh and juicy fruits like water melon, grapes, oranges, pears and apples. Diet which has fruits may lower blood pressure, and may also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and help to decrease bone loss. It takes approximately 3 to 4 hours for your stomach to digest an average meal. The reason for 5 meals a day is to have your body constantly digesting food. This helps to increase metabolic rate and aids in the weight loss program. So what are you waiting for? Follow these tips and stay fit!